


Just A Scratch

by RagingBookDragon



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Flirting, Fluff and Angst, Humor, Light Angst, M/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-21 22:48:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30029052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RagingBookDragon/pseuds/RagingBookDragon
Summary: It had been a long three months for Asra. A long and tiring three months away from the man he loved more than the world itself, and even if he didn’t remember Asra’s love, it still hurt to be away from him. By the time he’d reached the outskirts of Vesuvia, his heart was aching to see his face, to hold him again. And while Asra’s trips were usually to get away from his feelings, though he could never outrun them, even if he ran to the ends of the earth, this time, he’d actually had a legitimate reason for leaving: adventuring to find a book that he had specifically requested of Asra, the Grand Arcane Tome of Elemental Magic.
Relationships: Apprentice & Asra (The Arcana), Apprentice/Asra (The Arcana), Asra (The Arcana) & Reader, Asra (The Arcana)/Reader, Asra (The Arcana)/You
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	Just A Scratch

**Author's Note:**

> In this house, we stan lip scars because they are hot. Enjoy! -Thorne

It had been a long three months for Asra. A long and tiring three months away from the man he loved more than the world itself, and even if he didn’t remember Asra’s love, it still hurt to be away from him. By the time he’d reached the outskirts of Vesuvia, his heart was aching to see his face, to hold him again. And while Asra’s trips were usually to get away from his feelings, though he could never outrun them, even if he ran to the ends of the earth, this time, he’d actually had a legitimate reason for leaving: adventuring to find a book that _he_ had specifically requested of Asra, the Grand Arcane Tome of Elemental Magic.

The tome was huge and bound with thick, sapphire colored leather, and buckled with a silver fastening. Its pages were old and weathered, and Asra could feel the deep ingrained remnants of magic from where it sat in his bag. He worried a bit over giving the book to (Y/N). Not that he was worried that (Y/N) couldn’t handle it, but Asra knew well that magic was the husband of chaos, and every spell had a chance to go awry, all it took was one simple miscalculation and it could blow up in your face. The last thing that Asra wanted was to come home to the shop destroyed and (Y/N) seriously injured. Or worse dead, _again_.

He shook the dark thoughts from his mind as he entered the Marketplace of the Center City district. It was a familiar sight that relaxed him from the distressing feelings he’d conflicted himself with, and took a moment to look around, eyes falling on Selasi’s bakery. The intoxicating scent of fresh pumpkin bread reached him, and his stomach gave an obnoxiously loud gurgle. His cheeks flushed as he started to glance around, hoping no one heard it, but before he could make a move, a wriggling lavender serpent popped out of his shirt.

_Hungry!_

Asra chuckled and reached up, scratching underneath the snake’s chin. “I bet you’re hungry too, huh Faust?”

_Want a fuzzy rat!_

He laughed again and headed for Selasi’s shop. “Well, knowing (Y/N), he’s probably caught one and has it waiting for you.”

_Excited to see friend!_

Asra had barely made it within ten feet of Selasi’s bakery when the baker himself stepped out and waved, a grin growing on his face.

“Asra! You’re back!”

He waved in return. “Just got back into town actually. (Y/N)’s book took longer to track down than I thought it would.” He pulled out his coin purse. “Can I get two loaves? I’d like to surprise him when I get home.”

Something flashed in Selasi’s expression. “About (Y/N)…”

Asra’s heart dropped to his feet, fingers numbing on the spot as his voice raised just a bit from concern. “Is he okay?” he asked, taking a step forward. “Did something happen while I was gone?”

He was almost downright hysterical and Selasi gestured with his hands for Asra to relax. “Calm down, Asra,” he advised, explaining, “It’s nothing serious, but a couple days ago, he stopped a few hooligans from extorting me.” He smiled. “Saved my life, if I’m honest.”

Asra’s brows furrowed. “What happened?”

“Oh, fickle thing,” Selasi waved off. “Every now and then we’ll get a few ‘visitors’ from Goldgrave who think they can bully the lot of us around.” He gave Asra a knowing look. “You know how it is.”

“And (Y/N)?”

“Oh, right! Well, he was here delivering some supplies I had from the docks. Told him he didn’t have to, but you know how he is, always looking out for everyone.” Asra’s heart swelled, knowing (Y/N)’s heart of gold all too well.

“Well, he was leaving when the three of them came in, demanding coin and goods. The ringleader had a knife.” He sighed. “I was just going to hand it over, no sense making a fuss, but (Y/N), bless him, stepped in and told them they needed to leave.”

While (Y/N) was always there to help someone in need, he hadn’t put himself in harms way since before he di—since before Asra left. While he was the same person he’d always been when he came back, quiet, reserved, and always kind, Asra had noticed that he walked away from trouble when he could, only involving himself if he had no choice. So, to hear that (Y/N) willingly put himself between a knife-wielding ruffian and an innocent civilian, was surprising, but not unexpected.

“What happened when he told them to leave?” Asra inquired.

Selasi inhaled and started fixing two loaves to go. “They started laughing and mocking him, asking him what he was going to do about it. The ringleader waved the knife in his face, but (Y/N) didn’t even flinch, he just said, ‘Get out or I’ll make you.’.” He looked at Asra. “I’ve never seen (Y/N) look so serious in all the time I’ve known him.”

Handing over the packaged bread, he added, “They all tried to take him on, but he held his own and sent them packing. Didn’t even use his magic either! Just took ‘em on barehanded! Got banged up a bit, but he was okay afterwards.” Selasi smiled at Asra. “(Y/N)’s a fine young man.”

Asra let go of a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding and took the bread, returning it with coin. “That he is,” he answered softly and nodded before making his way down the street just a little faster.

*******

He frowned as his eyes flit between the little box in front of him and the list in his hand. His fingers trailed over every little bottle, mumbling the names as he went down the line.

_Two bottles of Sphinx’s Extract, four pinches of Fairy Wing Dust, seven Daydream Blossoms, one pinch of Mound Bindweed, two vials of Werewolf Blood, eight Aromatic Belladonna bulbs, two stalks of Goldho—_

The little bell above the door rang, and though his back was to the door, he tipped his head, calling, “Give me just a moment to finish this order and I’ll be right with you!”

A familiar chuckle made his heart thump. “I’m gone for three months and an order takes priority over me, (Y/N)?”

He spun around, a smile crossing his lips as he caught sight of Asra, and Faust sticking out of his shirt. Just as fast as the grin had come across his face, it dropped and he let out a hiss, bringing a hand up to his mouth. Asra set down his bag and the wrapped loaves on the counter, hurrying over. He raised his hands to (Y/N)’s face, worry etched into his expression.

“Are you alright?” he worried, and (Y/N) lowered his hands, nodding with a frown.

“Yeah, just a little scratch.”

He let Asra take his face in his hands and gently examine him. “It looks a _little_ _more_ than just a scratch.” Before (Y/N) could say anything, he added, “This must be what Selasi was talking about.”

“You know about that?” (Y/N) doubted, disbelief in his tone.

Asra snorted. “Please, the entire market is talking about it.” He ran his thumb softly over the scabbing cut that went through the left side of (Y/N)’s top lip. Something flickered in his eyes as he met (Y/N)’s gaze. “Did it hurt?”

He shrugged. “Meh, didn’t even notice I was really injured until Selasi was frantically throwing a towel at me and yelling for a doctor.”

Asra huffed a laugh. “Lemme heal it—”

“ _Wait_!” (Y/N) recoiled from his grasp as if he’d been burned and covered his mouth. It took everything that Asra had in him to not let the pain show. For a moment they stared at one another, not really knowing how to follow through.

It pained him to speak, but Asra did, barely holding it together. “(Y/N)?” He responded, but Asra didn’t catch it. “What did you say?”

Sighing, (Y/N) lowered his hand and mumbled, “I want it to scar.”

Asra’s brows furrowed, and he questioned, “What? _Why_?”

(Y/N) cleared his throat and shifted on his feet as the heat climbed up his neck and ears. “I want it to scar because it’ll make me look rugged and handsome.” He finished quickly, cheeks hot to the touch and turned around.

“Anyway, I have to finish this up. You should go and unpack. I’ll have dinner ready soon.”

Asra watched him for a moment, a fond smile coming across his lips as he moved back to his bag and gathered it in his arms. He passed (Y/N) who was going between the list and box again, but a closer inspection told Asra that he was so embarrassed that he wasn’t really doing much of anything.

As he reached the steps and took the first one, a devious though crossed his mind. He turned and called, “(Y/N)?”

Looking up, he caught mirthful eyes. “Mhm?”

Asra smirked. “ _It does make you look rugged and handsome_.”


End file.
